DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University track & field team opens their indoor postseason in Ohio this weekend when they compete in the 2014 Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships.

The meet starts Friday morning inside the Kent State Field House and runs through Saturday afternoon.

"Our team is in a good place heading into the MAC Championships,” said NIU head coach Connie Teaberry. “Our athletes have worked hard physically and mentally to prepare for this weekend. Their preparation and belief in themselves should put us in a better overall standing than last year. Each athlete attending has the potential to add points to our total standing. If they compete and execute, the team will move up significantly from last year."

Last weekend, the Huskies prepped for the conference indoor meet at the Ball State Quadrangular, where they captured four event titles and a MAC auto berth. Latesha Bigby led the way with wins in the 60 meters and 60 hurdles, in addition to running the first leg of the first-place 4x400 relay. Additionally, Leah Raffety claimed first in the 3000 meters.

This weekend, NIU brings a strong group of athletes to KSU, including five individuals – Bigby (60 meters, 60 hurdles), Claudette Day (high jump), Meghan Heuer (mile), A’Iesha Irvin-Muhammad (60 meters, 200 meters) and Sidra Sherrill (shot put) – whose marks rank in the top 10 of their respective events. Two years ago, the Huskies posted a program-high 48 points at the MAC indoor meet and look primed to exceed that mark in 2014.